Improvement in gumming and feeding envelope-blanks



J. B. DUFF.

GUMMING AND FEEDING ENVELOP BLANKS.

No. 45,397. Patented Dec; 13, 1864.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. DUFF, OF PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUMMING AND FEEDING ENVELCPE-BLANKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,397, dated December 13, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. DUFF, of Patchogue, county of Suffolk, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements adapted to the Feeding and Gum1ning of Envelope-Blanks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of my said improvements, reference being had to the drawings accompanyin g and making part of this my specification.

Figure I of the drawings represents a top view of the bed for holding the envelopeblanks and the parts attached to it, of the feeding-box for gumming the blanks, and of the heads of the valve and disengaging rods. Fig. II represents a front elevation of the same parts, the red lines showing the envelopeblanks. Fig. III represents the under side or bottom of the gummingbox, showing theopenings for the gum to pass out, and also the disengaging-plate.

In all the figures the same letters represent the same parts.

The first part of my invention relates to the bed or table upon which the envelope-blanks are placed for being gummed, and afterward carried to the folders. This bed is usually made of hard wood, but may be of metal. It is of the shape shown at A A, Fig. I. At one end of this table is an opening, a, hushed with a metal ring, b, for receiving a pin, which passes through the opening andholds it to the bed-plate of the machine, and at the same time permits it to be turned and traverse freely in ahorizontal direction. At the opposite end of A is insertedthe spring-latch c, which shuts upon a catch prepared to reeeive it at the exact point where the table or bed is to remain,for holding the blanks under the gumming-boxes. At the end of the springlatch is a handle, d, by which the latch is raised from the catch, and is turned back or replaced as required. Upon the surface of the bed A is placed-the brass plate 6, standing upon its edge upright. Its lateral shape is, as shown in the drawings, made to conform as nearly aspossible to the outline of the edge of the flap of the envelope-blank, so that it will fit the blank at that part with great nicety. This plate 0 is movable and adjustable by means of the horizontal iron rod f, which is fast to the outer surface of the plate e nearly at the bottom. The rod f passes through a bearing, 9, which is fast to the surface of the bed A. This bearing has a thumbscrew, h, fitted in it, by which the position of rod f andplate e, attached to it, can be fixed at any desired point. Underneath the projecting part of rod f, I fix a spiral spring, attached at one end, i, to the rodf, and at the other end to the edge of A, by means of which the plate e may be made to keep a gentle pressure upon the edges of the envelope-blanks, so as to hold them and keep their edges perfectly even.

Upon the upper surface of the bed of the machine (not shown in the drawings) I place an upright finger or stem, 70, having a hori zontal arm at the bottom, in which is aslot, through which passes a thumb screw into the plate below, by which the finger or stem k is made adjustable and held in the precise place required. This is shown in top view at k k in Fig. I, and at the dotted lines 10 It in Fig. II. This finger k is to be adjusted to the edge of the bed A, so that when the bed is in place and the latch 0 closed the inner surface of the finger will just press lightly. upon the edges of the blank envelopes. This inner surface of the finger 7., I cover entirely with a piece (.f

sheet india rubber. This india-rubber comes in contact with the edges of the envelope-blanks and by its contact and frictional effect it holds or detains them, so that when the top blank is gummed'and lifted, as hereinafter described, the other envelopes "underneath will not be lifted with it. Although I believe india-rubher to be the best material for the purpose, yet I do not confine myself to the exclusive use of that, but I-may use woolen cloth, or any material having a rough but not rigid surface,

which will press gently upon the edges of the blanks and retain them, as above described.

Forthe purpose of gumming the envelope blanks, to which the second part of my invention relates,'I construct --a metal box of the shape shown at B B, Figs I, III, the angular sides of which correspond in shape to the shape of the part of the blank which is to be gummed. In the bottom of this box are constructed long narrow slots 1 2, Fig. III, at the proper places for distributing or spreading the gum upon the blanks. Over each of these slots I place a valve. These valves are connected with valve-stems within the box, the upper ends or heads of which are seen at 3 4,

. Fig. I. They extend from the valve to the top of the box, having proper bearings within the box to keep them vertically over the openings. These stems have at their heads cross-heads 5 6, fast. to them at one end, the other .end being attached to a vertical rod sliding vertically in brackets fast to the-gum-box on its outer side, to keep them in place. At the bottom of these rods 7 8 they are enlarged, so as to have a larger base than the rod itself, the under side ofjwhichis flat. The enlarged bases are shown at 9 10, Fig. II. Their purpose and operation will be hereinafter described. The amount of play which these rods will have (and consequently-the extent of opening the valves) is adjusted by means of the screw 11 on the head of the rods andnut.

For the purpose of causing, thevalves to be shut as soon as the gum is distributed upon the blank, and at the instant of the lifting of the gumbox, the spiral springs 12, 'Fig. II,

are placed so as to force the rods downward.

The valve-stoppers for closing the valveapertures aremade of india-rubber of ashape to completely cover and close the aperture when 'down upon it. The piece of rubber composing the stopper is attached to the stem by means of two plates of metal uniting at the angle, so as to form a jaw of a. V shape, the

rubber being out also to conform to this shape.

The jaw or sides of the V, when .firmly pressed together, inclose and f asten the rubber tightly, and it is usual to put powdered shellacbetween the rubber and jaws to insure a permanent adhesion.

Upon the under side-of the gum-box, just back of the apertures for the gum, Iplace the flat piece of iron 13,Fig.III, shaped as shown in'the drawings. This is fast to the vertical rods 14, the tops of which are somewhat higher than any of the other parts attached to the gumrning-box. These rods are also providedwith spiral springs 15, Fig. II, which raise the rods and the plate 13, attached to them, immediately after the rods have been acted upon, as described hereinafter.

It should be observed that theseimprove- 'ments are particularly adapted to the envelope machinery described in Letters Patent of the United States, hearing date the 1st day'of 4 February, 1859, issuedto James B. Dufi' and Thomas W. Keating; but I do not intend to confine my invention and claim to them in connection with that machinery, or any other particular machines, as these improvements may be applied to almost anyenvelope-machines.

The operation of the improvements above described is as follows: The gum-boxis placed in its proper posit-ion so as to be directly over the part of the bed A which is to hold the envelope-blanks while being gummed. The pile of blanks is laid upon the bed A, as represented by the red linesin Figs. I, II. The gumbox, being filled with gum, is attached to the working and operating parts of the env'elopemachine so as to havea vertical motion to correspond with the folding apparatus as required. The valves areclosed, the gum-box being raised. A pile of blanks is placed upon the bed A, it having been turned from its position under the gum-box to receive them, the finger la and the plate 6 being adjusted so that when the bed A, carryin'gthe envelopeblanks, is put back and fastened in place by the catch, the edges of the blanks will be gently pressed by the plate 6 and the finger kin oposit'e directions. By the motion of the machine the box B is made to descend until 'the lower side of the box or bottom strikes upon the top of the upper envelope-blank. As the box descends, 9 and 10 strike upon the pile of envelopes, and are raised vertically, carrying with them the valve stems and stoppers attached, by which the valves are opened, and the gum passes out the instant the box reaches the bottom ofits stroke. The box is then instantly lifted by the motion of the machine, when the valves are-instantly closed by the operation of the springs 12. The adhesiveness of the gum lifts the top envelope with the box as it rises, and it is carried with the box until the tops of the rods 1i come in contact with the standard or bracket placed above them, when the rods 1.4: are caused to descend,carrying with them the plate 13,which,

coming in contact with the envelope-blank,

disenga-ges it from the box, and it falls upon the arms beneath, which carry it to the folders. The india'rubber or other material upon the finger 7., by,;its frictional quality, exercises a very useful and important part by keeping down the blanks under the top blank, which would otherwise sometimes rise with the top blank and stop the machine and spoil the blanks. The spring 15 instantly raises the platelS to its place as soon as ithas discharged the envelope-blank just gummed.

In order to lessen the flow of the guru and to prevent its spreading more than is required upon the blank, I draw over the bottom of the aperture of the valve cloth or muslin, fastening it by means of plates screwed onto the B by screws.

The bed-piece A may be turned out from under the box B while the machine is in operation to replenish the pile of blanks or for any other purpose without s'opping the motion of the'machine, as the valves will not open while the bed is not under the box.

Having thus described my improvements and the manner of operating the same, what I claim therein as my invention, and for whichI desire Letters Patent, isp 1. The manne r of constructing and fixingby a latch and catch the movable bed A, so that it can be turn ed under-the gumming-box and fixed in its'place and turned back out of the action of the gum-box without the necessity of stopping the machine.

2. The arrangement of the parts consisting of the plate 0, the rod f, and the spring, and

combining them, as described, so as to make the plate 6 adjustable, and at the same time to keep an easy pressure upon the tops of the blanks.

The application of the indie-rubber cloth or other similar material having a rough but not arigid surface upon the upright finger 7:, for the purpose of holding down the blanks by frictional action and elastic or yielding contact, as described, and at the same time allow the top blank to be carried away from the pile by the gum-box above.

4. The form and construction of the gum box B for holding and distributing the gum.

5. The combination of the valves, stems,

and rods withvsaid box so that by the vertical motion of the box the valves will be made to open and close in the manner and for the purposes described.

6. The combination of the plate 13 and the rods and springs with said box, so thatby the vertical motion of said box the plate will descend and disengage the envelope-blank, as described.

7. The covering of the valve aperture with cloth to prevent the glue spreading or flowing in excess, as described.

J. B. DUFF.

Witnesses:

EDWIN F. COREY, J r., J. B. STAPLES. 

